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Healing Polk’s communities

New Research Points to Health Disparities Among Certain Residents How a county thrives is based on how well the citizens within the county are thriving, and Polk County has taken a big step in improving its communities’ health by determining the health needs of its citizens. Thanks to a committee of devoted health experts, the…
Pop Quiz: Is your kitchen a nutrition crime scene?

Find out how much you REALLY know about food safety. One in six people in the United States are still getting food poisoning, leading to 100,000 hospital stays and 3,000 deaths in the U.S. each year. So, how can we be safer with our food at home? Try our quiz and determine how food safe-savvy…
Knowing is half the battle: Gynecological cancers explained

Q&A with Dr. Richard Cardosi on What You Need to Know to Stay—or Get—Healthy Dr. Richard Cardosi, a board-certified gynecologic oncologist and Polk County Medical Association member, provides comprehensive care for women with gynecologic malignancies and complex benign gynecologic conditions at Watson Clinic’s main office. He serves as president of Watson Clinic Foundation, looking for…

When to Seek Help for Spider, Varicose Veins

Spider Veins vs. Varicose Veins Varicose veins are superficial veins that appear knotty and — unless painful, achy, or inflamed — may not need to be treated. Varicose veins usually become more apparent with age and are the price humans pay for standing erect, as opposed to monkeys who walk on all four legs. Spider…
Brain Attack, Stroke, and Mini-Stroke: Are You at Risk?

Approximately 700,000 strokes occur in the United States annually. Stroke, or brain attack, is a disease that involves the blood vessels that supply blood to the brain. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that brings oxygen to the brain gets blocked by a blood clot most commonly. With the oxygen supply to the brain…
My Doctor Says I’m a Glaucoma Suspect – Now What?

Hearing that you may have a sight-threatening visual condition is scary to hear. So let’s better understand what glaucoma is and how you and your doctor can protect your vision. We’ll discuss what glaucoma is and how it is detected and diagnosed, and we’ll even discuss some front-line treatment options to give you peace of…